Goodwill Hunting with bonus tutorial

I heart goodwill.  Like super big red glittery ruffeldy puffy {heart} goodwill.  I heart it as much as I heart driving around looking for trash people put by the road for me to stuff in my car to take home and make something new out of.

I like other thrift stores too (notice I use the word like).  I know a lot about goodwill and their pricing too.  I know there's one by me that charges more than others because apparently they think THEIR donated stuff is worth more than other stores donated stuff.  It's ok, I still shop there, but I'm careful what I buy.  I know where four goodwills are within driving distance.  I know there's an awesome one across town that I go to when I head that way (it's like 45 minutes from me).  I also know that they open at 9 am.  Perfect timing for me when I have to take kids to school at 8:30, I can stop and get a coffee and be there when they open.  Genius.  

I have been to all four GWs near me this week.  Hm..what does that say about me?  Nothing else to do it seems.  That's so not true.  I'm getting ready for Christmas (first time I have EVER been ready to decorate so early - thanks Pinterest!) and my shop needs more stuff! I thought I'd share a few things I've found this week.

First - this nifty lamp.  Lovely Terrible phone pics here, sorry!  White ceramic barrel base.  Wooden stem (is it a stem?  who knows.  looks like a stem to me!).  I thought I would cover the flat part of the base in some awesome damask.  Maybe paint the stem a nice bright color - maybe teal or fuschia, and a new shade.  I found a couple shades also, but neither worked with this shape.  This one needs a drum shade - nothing with even the tiniest of taper, trust me, I tried.

This (again, wonderful pic) is the shade I picked up.  Medium gray with a little texture.  Perfect shape and size!  Here's the lamp is trying it on for a fitting ;)

 

Three silver candlesticks.  While they all look similar they do not match.  I also got some glasses to make into mercury glass and put on the top of these.  I thought they'd look nice on a Christmas mantle.

Then I got these glasses.  They're the perfect size for the candle holders.  I'm trying to get the mercury glass technique to work on them.  Honestly, I think I have a bad can of looking glass spray paint.  This can isn't working at all like the others have.  I need to go get a new can and try this.  Because if I hadn't done mercury glass before (see here) I'd have given up by now!!!

See?  Fits nicely.

Two drum shades and a stick lamp.  The chocolate shade would be perfect for a pendant light.

And a bonus tutorial for you :)  Yay!  I know you're SUPER excited now!

I also picked up these candle holders (the pic shows one, I promise there really are two).  Wouldn't they look great on a mantle?

I mean, you know WITHOUT the candle holder thing on top and then painted white?  Maybe even with some Christmas lights poking through?  I thought they were Awe. Some!  So, here's how I did it.  Take your hammer.  Beat the metal round thing on top.  Beat it some more.  Wait - a few more times.  All around the circle.  If it starts bending down, then beat it from the bottom.  There's nothing nice and sweet about taking this bad boy apart.  Mad at someone?  Great!  Use it to beat this thing apart.  Eventually the welds (there are 5!) will break and the circle will come off.  Then you're left with this:

Throw the circle in the trash.  Save the tree.

Get your spray paint out.  Paint them.  I didn't want mine perfect.  I actually liked them the way they were, but I wanted them white, so I painted.  Here they are.  Sitting in my garage waiting for their place on my mantle.  :)  yay!  I think they're so pretty.  They'd be awesome in a bright color too.

And one two last photos. I'm raising my boys right - already painting furniture! I'm so proud.  lol.

Go forth and create!